Suspended Walleye On Top of the Water

[Guest]

We saw quite a few huge walleye suspended on the very top of the water. Every once in awhile you would see a huge splash where the walleye took a yellow bass. We tried about everything but a floating worm harness worked for only small walleye. Are there recommendations out there to beeter myself with these? Crankbait suggestions?

Thanks very much!

[Guest]

A shallow shad rap mag or a Thin Fin may produce?

[deadeye]

I would bet that a regular original rapala would work if you cast it and work it like a jerkbait. They really don't run all that deep and I bet it would work great.
><>deadeye

[This message has been edited by deadeye (edited 05-06-2003).]

[Surface Tension]

I'll add use some type of planer board to get your lures away from the boat.

[Guest]

I agree with Surface Tension,
When we fish suspended walleye on lake pepin we run mono or fire line on planner boards, to keep the lures away from the boat.
My favorite lures for this are #5 raps.

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RiverTown Guiding
Mississippi River Pools 3-4
http://www.geocities.com/wish_i_was_fishing2002

[Bobb-o]

try casting rapala long casts, they run the same depth as an orginal but you wont have to get as close and risk spooking the fish

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[CANOPY SAM]

Are you sure these are really walleyes and not carp up on the surface? They could probably look quite a bit alike if you only catch a glimpse of em' leapin' in the air. I can honestly say I've never seen a walleye jump - at least one that was swimming free and not on someone's line.

[yoppdk]

The largest walleye I've caught (30", released) was suspended like that. We were anchored on a small hump and casting about with jigs/minnows in about 10-15' water. I wondered what might be deeper, so casted out into the 30' water. As the jig hit the water, it didn't fall, just hung there. I assumed it was caught in a floating mass of weeds, and said so as I started reeling quickly to get unsnarled. It wasn't until I was nearly back to the boat that I felt a tug ... then saw the fish and got pretty excited. I wondered what that hog was doing way out there and assumed it must be feeding on minnow schools out in the open water. It was mid-June. Since then I've been convinced that other larger walleyes probably do the same ... stick to open water and feed on the big schools rather than poke around the bottom structure.

[Bobb-o]

there was an article in some magazine not too long ago, it hink it was field and stream but am not positive. It talked aboot this same phenomenon, walleyes just roaming in the middle of the lake.

[Toad]

Guess I'd have to go along with Canopy Sam on this one-- how do you know they were really walleyes? Never seen walleyes create big splashes like you mention.

You will, though, occasionally get 'em on a topwater-type bite-- particularly over weeds on minnow plugs. But the strikes I've seen and heard about are never big splashes like those created by largemouths or muskies, but rather little "slurp" takes, sort of like a trout taking an emerging insect. Let us know if you confirm that these big splashers really are 'eyes, though-- be cool to learn about a new pattern like this.

-a friend,
Cory Schmidt